Rehmannia planting and management techniques: master 5 key points with ease
Rehmannia is a traditional Chinese medicine, mainly distributed in Zhejiang, the southwest, Hubei and other regions. Rehmannia has the effects of treating hot palms, blood-deficiency consumptive heat, and internal heat, and the widely known Liuwei Dihuang Wan (Six-Ingredient Rehmannia Pill) is made by processing rehmannia. Because market demand is large, many growers of rehmannia want to increase their planting yield, so how should we plant it to increase yield? Below, let us help you understand some aspects to pay attention to when planting rehmannia.
Land preparation and fertilisation
Rehmannia likes a planting environment with plenty of sunlight and warm temperatures. It also has some requirements for the land: it cannot be planted in places where the soil is relatively hard, as this will cause deformation of the underground rhizomes, while planting rehmannia in low-lying areas will make the rhizomes too moist and cause root rot, so a place with deep soil layers should be chosen for planting. After choosing suitable soil for planting, before planting rehmannia the whole plot should be turned over, removing harmful impurities and pests as much as possible, then base fertiliser should first be spread on the soil, and only after turning the soil over once more can sowing be carried out.
Scientific sowing
Science is now more and more advanced, so there are also some more scientific and correct planting methods to help us improve the yield and quality of crops. The usual planting methods are seed sowing and tuber planting; before planting, the soil should be turned over and disinfected, then sowing can be done. When planting tubers, choose ones with relatively strong vitality for planting, to ensure the survival rate of rehmannia. For seed sowing, the seeds need to be sun-dried and soaked to speed up seedling emergence, ensuring uniform seedlings for easy unified management. The planting method must be chosen correctly and scientifically to improve the quality and yield of rehmannia planting.
Reasonable close planting
The density between rehmannia plants also needs attention, generally managed according to the fertility of the soil. If the land is not fertile and is relatively poor, the distance between each plant should be about five centimetres when planting; if the soil is relatively fertile, the distance between plants should be about fifteen centimetres. Planting according to a reasonable plant density can ensure nutrient absorption by the rehmannia and increase yield.
Field management
When planting rehmannia, we should pay even more attention to field management, focusing on checking the seedling emergence of the rehmannia. Because the root system of rehmannia is relatively shallow, the usual methods of removing weeds will damage the rhizomes of the rehmannia, so when removing weeds near the rehmannia we can only pull them out by hand. Rehmannia is a crop that needs a large amount of nutrients, so during the planting period it should be top-dressed two more times, but rehmannia does not have very high water requirements, so normal watering is enough.
Pest and disease control
During the planting period we should also pay great attention to whether there are signs of pest and disease damage. Generally, pest and disease damage to rehmannia is caused by excessive humidity; once pathogens appear they will destroy the stems and leaves of the rehmannia and even the land of the whole plot, so we can use Bordeaux mixture and carbendazim for prevention and control in advance, ensuring the quality and yield of the rehmannia.